Malcolm X Files: Malcolm X vs Bayard Rustin (1962)

Source:Malcolm X Files- Nation of Islam Minister Malcolm X in 1962.

Source:Real Life Journal

“Malcolm X: In the past two years, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad has become the most talked about black man in America because he is having such miraculous success in getting his program over among the so-called Negro masses. Time magazine last year wrote that he has eliminated from among his followers alcohol, dope addiction, profanity—all of which stems from disrespect of self. He has successfully eliminated stealing and crime among his followers. Time also pointed out that he has eliminated adultery and fornication, and prostitution, making black men respect their women, something that has been characteristically absent among our men… 

From Malcolm X Files 

“Malcolm X Debates Bayard Rustin (1962)” 

Source:Malcolm X Files- Nation of Islam Minister Malcolm X in 1962.

From Malcolm X Files 

Nation of Islam Minister Malcolm X and civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, apparently debated each other from thousands of miles away in the early 1960s. Today they could do that with their computers.

Source:Donnie Mossberg- Nation of Islam Minister Malcolm X in 1962.

I’m going from first impressions here after seeing this debate for the first time tonight, but this debate sounds like to me anyway as a debate representing the main two wings of the American civil rights movement of the 1960s. The let’s call it the “Black Power” movement, represented by Nation of Islam Minister Malcolm X who I believe is the founding member of the movement who had all the intellect and knowledge to lead a movement like this because he knew African-American history very well and what was the state of this community back in the 1960s.

And I believed Malcolm X knew exactly what the community needed and what direction it should be moving in, which was freedom. He wasn’t calling for an expanded welfare state to take care of the African-American community. But he was calling for the same basic freedom that Caucasian-Americans had which was the ability to live their own lives and not be discriminated against based on race. And have the same access to education, healthcare, economic development that Caucasians already had.

Thats one side of the civil rights movement in America that of course was represented by Minister X. The other side led by Dr. Martin L. King of course was more inclusive and realistic. And Dr. King again another brilliant man with superior intellect who knew African-American history very well. And what millions of Africans in America we’re living through and we’re fighting for similar things. But against this is where the realism of Dr. King was so brilliant because it was very simple.

A numbers game that was going to have to be overcome for African-Americans to have the same freedom under law as Caucasians and the numbers game was very simple, its called 4-1. His community was outnumbered 4-1 by Caucasians and other communities as a total and knew that for his movement to accomplish what they wanted, they were simply going to have to have more support and bring in other Americans outside of the community to work with them. Which is why he brought in Anglos, Jews, Latinos and other Americans and this faction was represented by Bayard Rustin at this debate.

As I blogged last night and the reason why I’m writing this post tonight is that one of the comments on last night’s post was a suggestion to check this video out as well. But as I blogged last night, MLK’s movement of civil rights and freedom through non-violence was the path to get to the civil rights laws of the 1960s.

But Malcolm X represented the post-civil rights movement of now.: “Since we have this freedom under law this is what we should do with it”. Which was about empowerment, education and economic development, and not about the welfare state.